RAIN NO CHALLENGE FOR CASTRO'S VALLIANT CHARGE AT BURGETT H. MOONEY, JR. ROME CLASSIC Piccio holds off field for victory at Coosa Country Club

ROME, Ga. — After a two-and-a-half-hour rain delay, the final round resumed play and Franco Castro of Alpharetta, Ga., fired a final-round 6-under-par 64 to capture the title at the Burgett H. Mooney, Jr. Rome Classic at Coosa Country Club. In the Girls Division, Maria Piccio of Bradenton, Fla., shot a final-round 2-under-par 69 for a tournament total 6-under-par 207 and her second win of the season.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Burgett H. Mooney, Jr. Rome Classic featured 99 players from 18 states and South America. The field consisted of 75 boys and 24 girls, ages 12-18. The Boys Division played Coosa Country Club as a par-70 at 6,783 yards, while the Girls Division played it as a par-71 at 6,036 yards.

Castro's victory comes during his first year of competition in the AJGA. The 16-year-old, who watched his brother win the tournament eight years ago in a playoff, had high hopes for a victory, but knew that age and experience could be a factor.

“It's kind of cool because I watched my brother win here and watching him do so well and win made me want to play well and win here also,” Castro said. “But, I was just trying to get top five, so a win is nice because I am pretty young.”

Shawn Yim of Buford, Ga., finished in second place with a tournament total 2-under-par 208. Blaine Woodruff of Acworth, Ga., finished in third with a tournament total 1-under-par 209. Tied in fourth and rounding out the top of the leaderboard with tournament totals of even-par 210 were Jack Yancey of Rome, Ga., Jade Scott of Daingerfield, Texas, Sean Hassell of Walhalla, S.C., Clark Palmer of Augusta, Ga., Tyler Mitchell of Cadiz, Ky., and Logan Knebels of Alpharetta, Ga.

In the Girls Division, Piccio's final-round 69 was enough to hold off a rally by defending champion Austin Ernst of Seneca, S.C. Although the current all-time winning margin record holder was not sure of her chance at a victory, her game held steady.

“I wasn't hitting it well before the tournament, but I guess I just needed some adrenaline,” Piccio said. “It feels really good to win.”

Focusing on the fundamentals was the key to her success.

“Overall, I shot well. I hit three fairways and 12 greens and only had 27 putts,” Piccio said. “My putting was really working for me this week. I had 25 on the first day and 27 the next two days.”

Ernst, who won the tournament last year, carded the lowest final round in the Girls Division with a 4-under-par 66 for a tournament total 4-under-par 209 and second place.

Finishing tied for third with tournament totals of 3-under-par 210 were Anna Keith of Moultrie, Ga., and Kyung Kim of Chandler, Ariz.

The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf.

The largest Association of its kind, the AJGA has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of more than 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and more than 25 foreign countries.

Titleist, the AJGA's National Sponsor, has been the catalyst and driving force behind the Association's success since 1989. Rolex Watch USA, which is in its third decade of AJGA support, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004. In 2007, after 12 years of support, Polo Ralph Lauren became the AJGA's second Premier Partner.

AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. More than 160 former AJGA juniors currently play on the PGA and LPGA Tours and have compiled more than 300 wins. AJGA alumni include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Stewart Cink, Davis Love III, Cristie Kerr, Pat Hurst, Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome, Morgan Pressel and Julieta Granada.

For more information about the Burgett H. Mooney, Jr. Rome Classic, please contact National Headquarters at 770-868-4200.

The American Junior Golf Foundation is the primary recipient of all charitable giving to the AJGA and as such administers a variety of programs designed to compliment the AJGA and the members and families who make up our community. Learn more about these important programs and how your contributions to the Foundation secure the AJGA’s financial future for future generations to come.

The Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant program provides financial assistance to junior golfers who wish to play in AJGA events. Its goal is to give top-flight golf opportunities to young golfers regardless of financial resources. This program helps to fulfill the AJGA’s mission of developing young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf.

Leadership Links

What is Leadership Links?

Leadership Links is a new program whereby the AJGA is able to further its mission to help develop young men and women by teaching charitable giving skills and service-oriented practices at an early age. This program gives juniors all the tools necessary to donate their time, talent and resources to local charities and the AJGA youth development programs. Please click here to learn more about the program and the different opportunities available.

The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and
development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf.